


Arthur's Return

by Mercia12591



Series: Tales from the Ancestral Tudor Court [6]
Category: The Spanish Princess (TV), The Tudors (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:01:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29218380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercia12591/pseuds/Mercia12591
Summary: After decades of trying, Kathryn manages to bring a very weak and fragile Arthur back from the Ghostly Realms...
Relationships: Catherine of Aragon/Henry VIII of England
Series: Tales from the Ancestral Tudor Court [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2007481
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Arthur's Return

**Leeds Castle, the Ancestral Realms – 1900**

**E** **lizabeth** of York stood quite speechless with joy at the sight of her firstborn in the Ancestral Realms. Arthur Tudor was weak and fragile, but he was there in solid form and she could hold her son for the first time in almost 400 years. Lizzie hugged her boy even as her gaze remained on the woman, she was sure she had to thank for Arthur’s coming to the Ancestral Realms. The older queen’s eyes shone with gratitude as they lighted on her daughter-in-law.

Kathryn of Aragon watched the scene before her through misty eyes. After decades of trying, she had finally managed to bring Arthur into the Ancestral realms. It had taken copious amounts of energy, so much that her ladies had been worried about Kathryn jeopardizing her own place in the Ancestral Realms, but Kathryn considered it a price worth paying in her continued effort to discharge her debt to the House of Tudor.

Henry VII and the rest of the House of Tudor watched the reunion with no little trepidation, Arthur was clearly weak and fragile, enough so that there would be no possibility of a civil war, he was in no position to challenge his brother for the throne and even if he wanted to Henry VIII’s Kingship was enshrined in eternity. The real danger, Henry VII thought shrewdly, lay in the way Arthur looked at Kathryn of Aragon and in the way the gracious queen doted on him. The older king merely had to sneak a glance at Harry to see how angry he was. The boy made a good show of hiding his true feelings, but his genuine joy at having his brother returned to him was overshadowed by his fear of what it might mean for him and Kathryn and the budding friendship, which was only now really beginning to blossom after decades of tenderly being tended by Harry. His son really had shown most remarkable and uncharacteristic patience in regard to Kathryn. Over the many decades that have followed Kathryn’s return to the Ancestral Realms, Henry had watched his youngest son closely, coming to the conclusion that despite Harry’s past mistakes his son’s love for Kathryn of Aragon had been true…and still was.

“He is no threat to you, Harry,” Henry felt the need to remark.

“Oh, he’ll never have my throne or my crown father,” Henry replied and there was a coldness in his voice that sends a shiver down his father’s spine. “If I had been less of a fool in life, I might have been equally confident of him not taking my queen…” He sounded almost haunted.

“Kathryn is steadfast,” Henry assured his son. “Save for your mother she is one of the most loyal people I know.”

“But why should she be loyal after I have proved to be so fickle?” Harry replied.

Henry found himself relieved that Harry was taking responsibility for his past actions, yet he also felt a need to reassure his boy. The truth was, he felt for Harry. The boy truly loved Kathryn, of that Henry VII had no doubt, and what’s more Kathryn still loved Harry. The lady might deny it at present, even to herself, but Harry was her sun and moon and stars, he had been since the moment they met, and no amount of time or circumstances would ever change that. “Kathryn loves you, my son, with a love that has always gone beyond reason. A love like that doesn’t simply disappear, however much the lady herself may wish to be rid of it…”

Harry looked at his father with something akin to wonder in his gaze. “Do you really believe Kathryn still loves me, after everything?”

Henry VII struggled not to roll his eyes at his son. “Harry, my boy, the woman went to purgatory for you! She had no business being there, except to spare you pain, after everything. Doesn’t that tell you anything?”

Henry watched as his words slowly sank in. “I’m in no way saying that you deserve the lady, of course.” the older king now remarked with a somewhat mischievous grin. “Not any more than I ever deserved your mother…”

Harry actually cracked a smile at that, and Henry continued. “If you truly want your queen back…”

“I do, father…”

“Then I would suggest you start fighting for her.” The old king Henry looked towards where Kathryn and Lizzie were faffing about Arthur. “Your Queen has a kind heart my son and what she feels for your brother is pity and compassion, not passion. I’d venture her heart is still as much in your keeping as yours have always been in hers…”

“I doubt she sees it that way.”

Henry VII chuckled. “Then change her mind, Harry.” With that parting shot, the older king walked away joining Lizzy and his daughters at Arthur’s bedside, secure in the knowledge that he’d likely just saved his eldest son from meeting oblivion via an energy dagger through the heart. The strangest part was that nothing he’d just told Harry had been a lie. Kathryn and Harry were forever entwined and no power in existence could change that, Henry VII knew that with a knowledge that went soul-deep.

As he joined them Henry VII and his queen shared a glance and relief flooded Lizzy’s beautiful features. Arthur Tudor would be safe, for now at least…


End file.
